7 digital toolkit essentials to fulfill critical post-acute care requirements

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In the wake of COVID-19, post-acute care providers are facing a shift in expectations of clinicians, referral sources, patients, caregivers and families. Patients now understand the conveniences of remote engagement, clinicians need solutions for efficiency and work-life balance, and referring providers expect to stay connected to the care journey of every patient.

Here are seven digital toolkit essentials to help post-acute care providers meet — and even exceed — these growing expectations.

1. Ensure proper communication.
   Solutions must support communication among patients, clinicians, and others on a platform that is comfortable for the patient and/or primary caregiver — and can ensure the correct level of care and timely response each patient deserves.

   Care team collaboration: The patient discussion group (PDG), an ideal way to capture and curate patient information in one place, is a customizable chat thread for a single patient. Strictly for staff and external partners, PDGs are not accessible to patients or their caregivers. It keeps conversations about care in one location to give all those involved in providing that care an up-to-date view of care progress and needs.

2. Collect critical information.
   Solutions must have the ability to monitor, measure, and permanently record interventions and outcomes as care progresses.

   Digital nursing notes and customized forms can help organizations track medication changes, side effects, adherence to care plans, and more. Even more, it allows you to keep track of regulatory requirements to help meet compliance needs.

3. Protect patient privacy.
   Solutions must support HIPAA compliance. Even though some HIPAA rules were temporarily relaxed during the pandemic, nothing can replace secure messaging and data exchange.

   Secure messaging and video chat allows providers to conduct telehealth visits and engage patient and family caregivers between in-person visits.

4. Communicate in real time and in the patient’s language.
   Solutions must enable delivery of messages in real time and in the patient’s or caregiver’s preferred language. Video and real-time chat capability are also important to address concerns before they become problems.

   Auto-translate features can reduce delays in care when receiving inbound communications and help patients and their families, who may be most comfortable communicating in their native tongue.

5. Support patients and their families.
   Solutions must enable family members designated by the patient to be in the loop as care plan changes are contemplated.

   With group messaging and video chat features, providers can update multiple family members at the same time, regardless of location.

6. Send efficient broadcast messages.
   Solutions must provide the ability to quickly and efficiently broadcast important information and emergency announcements to all patients and their families or appointed representatives.

   Broadcast messaging is a group messaging application that allows staff members to communicate important information (such as emergency announcements) with multiple patients, other staff members or partners all at once to save valuable time. Whether it’s safety information or a natural disaster, the ability to quickly communicate to a mobile device is critical.

7. Provide educational support.
   Solutions must make it possible for patients and their family members to access educational materials at any time.

   Education Center: Since families and caregivers have a greater responsibility in this new era of care in the home, making it possible for them to easily access customized educational materials at any time, any place, on most devices helps them properly support the care plan.

Staying connected is essential in this new era of care. Talk with a CitusHealth expert to discover how we can better connect your care team and those they serve.